Cobalt 240 SD (Not a Current Model) Captain's Report

Lake Geneva, Wisconsin in September shouldn’t remind you of Florida, but the weather there sure did! Cobalt had a long list of boats for us to test and had reserved sunshine for each day. Only had to deal with heat some ten degrees more than they should be having this week. The experience with Cobalt’s on scene team was worth it.

Cobalt boats are built in Neodesha [Nee-oh-de-shay], Kansas named by the Osage for the meeting of the waters. Apparently the small town atmosphere and neighborly feeling is good for boat building. In fact, they don’t build them they craft them. This privately held company puts its product and its customers in highest regard. I have heard that from many, but felt it from few. My calls to Bret were all met quickly and with professionalism. We went into the shoot feeling we had a lot to do and very little time to get it done. Bret Chilcott, Director Marketing and Export Sales, made it much easier to get the job done. He explained they put the customer first and went more than the extra mile to get the job done. His crew proved that with the support and hospitality we received.

From the front, the 240 Sport Deck’s pickle fork front end looks odd, but when you walk on around to the side, you see that the hull form looks more like a familiar bow rider. With this design, you get the excellent looks of the bow rider with the utilitarian hull of a deck boat. I could slide right up on a beach with the outdrive up and have a stable platform when offloading the family and friends. I will have to come up with a better excuse for spilling my margarita next time.

The 240 SD won Runabout of the Year awards for 2002 and was one of the boats in the JD Power awards as well. She is a fine ski boat and a truly versatile I/O performer. You can board her from the water at the front as easy as the back. All through bolts are backed with aluminum backing plates, and through-hulls are stainless for durability.

Cobalt really put a lot of thought into the production and versatility of this model. While keeping the ride and appearance of a sport boat, they built the utility of the deck boat. Entry is from front or back swim platforms with swim ladders for water entry. Side entry is assisted with cut outs that are non-slip protected. Skis can be loaded from the stern platform through a hatch so you do whack someone with the skis trying to store them in the cockpit. Nets are fastened in another storage bin to put your wet stuff and allow the engine to dry it while you cruise along. Cup holders are plentiful enough to satisfy the crowd you surely will have aboard. The table even hides away in the floor when not in use. Very smart!

How many times have you had to warn the kids (regardless of age) about lifting themselves up on the windshield between the walk through? Well Cobalt has made their support strong enough to hold a fully-grown (overgrown some say) man off the floor without buckling or swaying. They even have a patent pending on the windshield latch that is strong enough to hold the windshield in place at cruise speed while open.

The 240 SD has tons of storage around and under the seating for all the water toys, snacks and other goodies for a long day on the water. Her seats are hinged to keep them aboard even in a strong breeze and the compartments are carpeted to protect what you carry. The anchor locker is fully padded with rubber to protect the interior fiberglass. Night lighting of the cockpit is all indirect to save your vision.

This sport boat hides her deckboat identity within her 23’9” length and trailerable 8’6” beam well. At just 4,350lbs dry weight, she should be easily towed with any vehicle properly outfitted and sound enough for towing. Her colors are molded in and there is no top stripe to fade as in many boats her size. She has a page long list of options for power plants from Volvo and MerCruiser. Her standard items list leaves little to add to the options list, but I did enjoy the satellite radio and electric assist devices my test boat had. Check out their site for the complete list of standard and optional equipment.

Test conditions were good on Monday, but on Sunday, there was significant wake action from all the thousands of boats on Lake Geneva. Even so, she was a comfortable, dry ride in the heavy chop. She was also a considerable water athlete. We were able to test her through the entire range on Monday. She cruised best around 3000rpms with her Volvo 5.0L GXi. At cruise, she is running 26.7mph and sipping 7.4gph from her 50-gallon fuel tank. At this rate, you are going to have to go around 179 miles before a pit stop. Jumping on to full throttle, she is at 4500rpms, 43.7mph and fuel consumption goes to 19.35gph. Range goes down to 112 miles at top speed. She is a respectable 3.9 seconds out of the hole, so you really can ski with her. She is cruising along at 30mph in just 6.1 seconds.

She may be a relatively new deckboat to the market, but she has the power, looks and capacity to take a group out for a fun day on the water whether skiing, wakeboarding or just cruising the bay. Test drive one today at your favorite Cobalt dealer.

By Capt. Bob Smith

Test Captain

Cobalt 240 SD (Not a Current Model) Test Result Highlights

Top speed for the Cobalt 240 SD (Not a Current Model) is 48.8 mph (78.5 kph), burning 23.55 gallons per hour (gph) or 89.14 liters per hour (lph).

Best cruise for the Cobalt 240 SD (Not a Current Model) is 26.7 mph (43 kph), and the boat gets 3.61 miles per gallon (mpg) or 1.53 kilometers per liter (kpl), giving the boat a cruising range of 179 miles (288.07 kilometers).

Cobalt 240 SD (Not a Current Model) Warranty

Cobalt 240 SD (Not a Current Model) Warranty Information

Warranties change from time to time. While BoatTEST.com has tried to ensure the most up-to-date warranty offered by each builder, it does not guarantee the accuracies of the information presented below. Please check with the boat builder or your local dealer before you buy any boat.